The area of the headquarters is resplendent with old pictures like these from the Battle of the Bulge. In many towns in the area are either Sherman Tanks sitting in town squares or the turrets sunk into pedestals. The people here really love Americans, especially the US Army.
In the background of these tanks is the headquarters of the "Screaming Eagles" during the Battle of the Bulge. They are in the process of restoring the entire site. The tanks in the foreground are an M18 Hellcat and M24 Chaffee. This is a really cool place!
Here's a look into the Ardennes forest where the 101st take up defensive positions. Pretty dark in there. If one did not have overhead cover, the German rounds landing in the trees exploded such that the shrapnel was multiplied tenfold.
Here is a moving tribute to Easy Company (Band Of Brothers) for those who lost their lives during the battle to take Foy, on the East side of Bastogne. The name of Tom Hanks, HBO, Steve Spielberg among others are on the side plate as donors.
Our first stop this morning was at the beautiful memorial to the American armed forces who fought at Bastogne. The monument is shaped as a 5 point star; at the top of the memorial each star points to a specific battle site and is diagrammed on a copper plate in the middle of the point. 48 state names ring the top of the memorial with the vertical facades containing the names and patches of the units involved. Around the inside of the ring is 8 panels that tell the story of the Battle Of The Bulge. Very moving monument.
